Surda

Except for one army jeep which went on
the Wallerstein road, crossing the Surda road, there were no IDF
soldiers to be seen all around: This enhanced the surrealist/absurd
scene which we encountered. Dozens upon dozens of people - of all
ages, gender, class and state of health, getting out of cabs and
cars on top of the hill - or walking through mountain paths, going
from Sudra heading for El Bireh-Ramallah, going down one hill and
then climbing on to the top of the other, reaching the concrete
cubes, to finally settle into the numerous yellow cabs that were
parked there in a rather orderly fashion (due to a person running
around organizing things) waiting for passengers. There were much
fewer going towards Bir Zeit, as the academic year had already
ended. Around 8.00am, the Palestinan union medical relief committee
started functioning from a shed standing midway. They wheel chaired
two people from one end to the other. Some people resorted to such
high-tech vehicles as makeshift rickshaws and horse-and-cart.